I was reading thru old journals this morning and came upon some rich entries from a couple years back and realized something; I haven’t had a legit fitness goal since I ran 100 miles in a month back in summer of 2014!

I mean, I literally wrote about goals to run, walk, lift, stretch, lose, drink more water, drink more green tea, eliminate processed food, eat out less, veggies with ever meal, upping my protein, cutting back on cheese, and my God to stop sweating the small stuff in life!

And the key in every entry was, I had a strategy! 100 miles in a month? Join a Nike challenge. Lift 3 days a week? Set up weights in room night before. Eat more protein? Meal prep on Sunday’s. I was on IT!!!

One just can’t have a goal of losing weight… we must implement the ‘How?! What specifically can we do to reach that goal? What’s it going to take? What will we have to sacrifice? What is our mantra? Who is our accountability partner? We must make it plain and write it down but further more, take action! We can only plan so much! Eventually, we must put one foot in front of the other and make things happen.

In life, and often fitness, I overthink way too much. I can make 5 grocery lists and not leave the house. Sometimes, it’s throwing on clothes, sitting in front of Kroger and making it right then and there to get it done!

Sometimes, it’s putting on workout clothes after clocking out from work, driving to the gym and making a B line over to that leg press, before talking myself out of it.

Sometimes it’s walking into that yoga class, being the heavier girl, or the one with ashy feet, or the one who sweats a lot and saying, “forget these bougeious chicks, I need centering!

Sometimes, it’s walking past those neighbors you never talk to. Or getting over the fear of an encounter with a stray dog wild animal, or sweat spots between your legs and pits and just getting your dang stroll on!

One word comes to mind, courage! Courage is the ability to do something that frightens one; strength in face of pain or grief. Sometimes not hitting those health/fitness goals is less about lack of time, lack of finances, lack of motivation… but lack of courage. Waiting too long to jump back out there after previously overcoming the anxiety of judgement in the first place. Constantly sitting yourself back down too concerned of what others “might” be thinking. Forgetting, how courageous we once were when we write out goals in the stone, not the sand. If that is you Hipster, let’s get back to that!

I have refocused my goals since gaining weight about losing weight, this time:

If I can manage 30 minutes a day of walking and 10 minutes of some strength training, and just 5 minutes of stretching afterwards, I get an earned check in the box.

That’s it! Some days, I’ll run an hour, did last week! Somedays, I’ll strength train 45 minutes, did last week! I’ll even get thru a full yoga session without losing my focus 15 minutes in and ending up in savasana, did that too!

But especially food. If I can track more meals than not a day, check in the box! A couple days, I’ve hit 1800 cals and hit my macros. A couple, 2200. Some days I tracked my water intake, only. Seriously.

But it’s been 2 weeks of something! I may not have lost a lb. but I’m creating once again good daily, healthy habits and that will catapult my progress. When my body is ready.

Today’s workout was perfect! 3 rounds (err, 1 round) of 20 kettlebell swings with a 20/15/10 squat superset found, as fast as good form allowed. Took 5 minutes, but quads were so worked! Then hopped on the ol’ treadmill and walked 30 minutes at a 5% incline. Stretched a good 10 minutes, to make up for the short strength training.

Done. This is progress, Hip Huggers! What did you press thru to get your health check in the box today?

In honor of said super important day, I have made my 2nd batch of this super antioxidant, detoxifying, health drink my friend Hannah passed on to me when I want feeling myself a few weeks back. I feel it’s my duty to share with you all this great recipe. So, a couple things first…

1) I’d stop by your local thrift and try and find a few mason jars. If your lucky and can find the uber cute ones, awesome. They’ll hold the perfect amount. Just be sure they all have screw in tops. I say go ahead and buy the glass storage jars because…

In a large pot, grate (or food process for time) all the ginger and turmeric.

Peel lemons and drop in pot. Add filtered water and bring to a simmer. Let simmer for maybe 5 minutes and move batch of goodness to another burner to rest. In about 20 minutes, strain the batch into a large pitcher. Add honey and stir.

Separate into Mason jars and let cool before storing in fridge.

Serving size, about 2 ounces a day, when feeling bad, or until finished.

Testimonial: I started drinking this concoction about 2 weeks ago. First thing I noticed was the incredible energy boost I got, almost instantly. Also, my husband and daughter both had a bad case of strep and I made it out unscathed. I’m very susceptible to strep since having mono as a teen and acquiring an upper respiratory infection back in 2011. I woke up a bit groggy Sat morning when all were sick, drank my last brew and boom… sickness fought off!

Try it and let me know how it works for you!

If you’ve already discovered this great supplement – how has it helped you?

I have had a pretty stressful week. One of my twin boys had strep and ended up being home all week due to a bad reaction from the antibiotics. Lots of extra mom duties, so I didn’t get much working out done. I did get started on a series of books I want to have read this year. I’m such a sucker for excuses vampires…

Red wine too.

But geez, do I miss my fitness! No, not just being fine as wine with my weight, but, living the Fit Life. The looming thought of running galavanting around my brain all day. The soreness from a great muscle building workout. The incredible sleep I used to get being spent by end of the day. Lastly, the feeling of control over SOMETHING in my life for a change, lol!

So, with that said, I’ve been tinkering with eating for lifestyle again. I’ve been eating plenty, never don’t worry, but I have been striving for more of a balance between complex carbs and protein and trying to dial down all the yummy fat…

Hey, I’m a work in progress. Really, who can resist mozzarella balls and olives? And cheese crisps? Should be me! But it’s not. I tried.

No, you shant.

And, I finally got out of my head and ran….yes ran. Forward movement. Heavy breathing. Sweat and stink ran. And it was incredible!

I chatted with my bff while I warmed up and about 15 minutes before I felt ready. I had 4 planned in my head, but wasn’t feeling tracking my run, so I opted out. I knew Fitbit would tell me later what I actually ran, so I wasn’t wrapped up in it. My legs felt fresh, of course and I had air in my lungs! I didn’t start laboring until about 45 minutes in. I usually get tired and my form starts breaking around 5 miles give or take. Maybe less considering I’m less fit today, but I was in the ballpark. All smiles after those miles!

Now, I’m off to stretch and combat the inevitable hip soreness I will greet at dawn.. welcome back, #runnerprobs.. How I’ve missed you.

Monday was my last day at my cool little job. Regrettably, I had to come home from working for personal reasons, not my own and I’ll share that caveat later. But it was definitely a fun time, with a fun company and fun people. I was sure sure lucky to have had an experience like this.

I’ve been working since June of this past summer. After years of being home and having the ease of planning meals, exercising at will, and constantly plugged into social media I didn’t fare well balancing it all whilst returning to the workforce, even part time. I started mindless munching to soothe work stress, commutes and being spread thin at home. I stopped creating time in the mornings to workout consistently. And, I ate a lot of grits.

So, now that I am home and have to face the mirror music, I must admit: a sistah has gained 20 lbs, 19 to be exact, since May 2015.

I’m not upset with myself about the gain, but of the state of my life: uncontrolled. I hadn’t prepared my family properly before heaving myself into work. I felt like I was always catching up, and I of course, was last on my Own. Damn. List. But, I need to always workout for my own mental health and sanity. I shouldn’t allow myself to not put myself first. No one is jumping in to help figure things out. No ones pulling me out of bed to run. No one is planning my meals or workouts. No one is rolling out my mat when I’m off center. I’m not even sure anyone is praying for me! So, I’d better be doing all these things for my damn self. And not allow life, at any pace, to control me.

Today was a mix of it all , 30 Day Shred (which almost killed me) to start! I knew I had lost a great deal of fitness, but I didn’t think I’d completely forget the pain of mountain climbers, jump squats, or butt kicks…

Finished my workout and decided to take a 20 minute stroll to meet my kiddos walking home from school…

Came home and practiced yoga for about 20 minutes. I’m incredibly tight in my hammies so the stretch was very humbling.

Now I’m kicked back, drinking hot tea, reading up on a few blogs I’ve missed, and preparing marinated chicken thighs for the grill, happily exhausted… Or I’m wishing I had all that going on and really getting ready for a nap…

Catch some zzz’s you later, Hip Huggers!Question: Have you ever left a job you loved?

Glad this year is finally coming to an end. Don’t get me wrong, everyday above the ground is a damn good day, but I am so ready for this year to be in my rear view and start anew in 2016. For a few reasons, but first:

Christmas goodies! I’ve been needing a big ol’ bag something serious! My bff got me this looker.. 100 % vegan so no beef harmed in the making. My husband completely caught me off guard with the coup de gras of Christmas – a much desired new iPhone.

A huge reason I haven’t been blogging is the lack of ease. With kids always on the laptop, computer, and iPad, I was always left with my phone and an iPhone 5c is not exactly blogger friendly. So now I have plenty screen and plenty space, the blog is back in town..

Still pretty tired from cooking on Thanksgiving, we opted for easy and economical… So where’s the beef stew

I’d really been hoping we’d get some cool weather for Christmas, but it was a gorgeous 75° instead. Not exactly stew or sweater weather, but I can’t complain… especially considering all the bad weather the following 24 hours…

Yeah, that’s here. Just devastating for friends and co workers my husband and I both have in Garland and Rowlett, Tx. Lots of prayers for my people..

Speaking of tornadoes, that’s how my year felt. Overextended and unappreciated are 2 of the worst feeling ever, especially simultaneously! Once spring came, I felt I had given all my energy into that particular situation that I didn’t have strength for anything else. I felt jaded for trying to help family and being treated that way. A very bad bout with depression ensued. I spent the better half of the summer working a job I hated just to get out of a rut. I lost my passion to run, to fuel, to parent, and just to press towards joy altogether. But a light went off early September. I was up at 3am watching ‘Lock Up and one of the guys in jail (I hate the term ‘inmate) said,

“Do the time, don’t let the time do you.”

I must say, my perspective instantaneously changed. Somewhere in 2015 I had started letting life “do me” and was no longer living “it.” That changed that moment. I soon found a part time job that suited MY life, got MY life/house in order, and began stepping forward. I’m sitting here now preparing for some things I want to do next year so very ready to hit the ground running in 2016. I let go of control of so much this year, in a good way.

Hola Hip Huggers!
I am reaching out to any hipsters that have gone abandoned ship in my social media absence. Ok, not really. I am really talking about running. Literally, it has been months since I let my wings out and I am pretty sure running is tired of my ‘ish and is getting ready to dump me…

Gah, I miss running so much, and want it back in my life! I just had a very rough start to the year, and never recovered. Running went from inconsistent, to random, to not at all. I even got a gym membership that I haven’t. even. used. to feel the void that running has always given me. Hoping to at least be staying in great shape until the slump passed…I’ve failed at that as well.

But yesterday, my racing buddy text me about a 5k in October. She is always a great source of inspiration because she is one of the reasons I ever started running. Neither of us have run in quite some time, so something small like this would be perfect. I told her I was in if she was…. So, I kind of think that has sparked some life back into running. It is still so hot here in Texas, so running outdoors for me is a no go. Last summer’s heat and 100 mile month of running just exhausted me. Can’t bring myself to do that, at least this year. But the treadmill? Am I ready for the road to nowhere? Just the thought of getting on that thing makes me hot, and not in a sexy way.

But, the time has come for me to get back active. Running is the easiest, yet the hardest and I’ve got to figure out a way to push passed this pseudo retirement phase and break out running!

This is Day 2 of me tracking my calories and I feel like I am finally in a mind frame of peace. I admittedly have
gotten very relaxed with food portions and fat intake since transitioning from a Paleo to LCHF way of eating.

Now that I am revisiting daily low intensity fat burning cardio, I need to reduce my fat consumption by a bit.
In that, I’ve decided to cut back drastically on the cheese, and dairy. When I initially began
eating Paleo, I was at my most fit! I didn’t indulge in those to groups above and alongside a bit more
cardio, I was very positive about my weight and my physique.

I would like to reduce my overall body fat percentage and lose about 10 lbs. over the next couple of months.
So, I have recalibrated my workouts 15 minutes of full body circuits and 30 minutes of low intensity, fat burning cardio daily. I know the true change comes in dietary changes, so I am back to eating Paleoish.

So after a happy Paleo breakfast of kale, mushroom, and eggs along side some burnt bacon and black coffee, I was ready to get my sweat on for the day. We did a leg circuit as follows:

After that burn, we went on a 3 mile stroll around the park. Me getting a good post workout stretch…

Me getting in a gratuitous yoga pose stretch…

Once we got back to the crib, my neighbor friend showed me a cool little set of intervals that boosted my heart rate thru the roof! We used the sloped curb and did these drills about 2 minutes. I’ll record it next time and share it with you all!

78 Minute workout. 630 Calories burned.Poor lighting.

***

Home and looking for food. I desperately need to buy groceries, because eating wraps everyday is a wrap getting kinda boring.

So, I chopped up some peppers and boiled potatoes, threw in sausage and cracked an egg.

Nothing fancy, but Paleo approved!
***
Stretching and off to the library to find a good yoga Paleo living book!
Catch you later!